Balsall Common Community Orchard

Fruit for free has been an interest of the Berkswell Society for a long time. We have planted two sets of fruit trees on Riddings Hill. This orchard is our latest project to provide fruit for residents to eat.

There are four each of plum, apple and pears. To produce fruit, a tree has flowers which need fertilising from the pollen of another tree. Having four trees of each type of tree close together, ensures that the trees pollinate each other.

Opposite the orchard you will see a stand of trees. This has been enhanced by the planting a couple of hundred new native trees as part of our orchard project. Trees provide a local eco system that encourages all kinds of wildlife. They also absorb CO2 helping with the carbon reduction. Trees directly reduce temperature within their local areas by providing shade and by the evaporation of water through their leaves in a process called "transpiration".

The trees were planted on 10th and 11th March 2025 by a team of local volunteers working with Solihull Council staff and contractors. The Society raised almost £5700 for this project. Twenty three residents contributed, some anonymously. Three charitable organisations also assisted.